Question:
Does anyone on here "on medication" for depression (not sure exactly
what I mean by this - Prozac, et al, I guess) feel it works? Is mental
depression really a "chemical imbalance" treatable with drugs? Or is it just that the drugs dull your senses to the point that you
don't know up from down?
Answer:
I think all of what you said has some truth to it. You probably already know this, but the 'chemical imbalance' thing is
very oversimplified. It's certainly not true, in my view, that SSRIs
restore any balance to the chemicals in one's brain. IMO the reason they
work is because they have a psychological effect, which is useful for a
depressive person.
For me, this psychological effect with Zoloft was, after 8 weeks of being
on it, a sudden surge in mood, better sleep, better concentration, and
low anxiety. In my opinion, the secondary symptoms of depression - poor
sleep and concentration, got better because the condition of depression
got better as a result of the surge in mood and the reduction in anxiety.
After about 6 months though, I found that my mood wasn't as high as it
used to be, but the anxiolytic effect was still there. This is what some
describe as the numbing effect of SSRIs. At this point you have two
choices. One is to quit the SSRIs and hope that you've been 'happy' for
long enough so that the cycle is broken, or carry on with the somewhat
numbing of emotions. Once you've got your life back together, even if it
means being 'numbed out' a bit, you may be able to get off the medication
some time after.
I know for a fact that "Anafrinal" works for me. Takes about 12 hours, and
I'm OUT of a depression. Zoloft didn't do this for me, nor did Paxil. I dont know what you mean by "happy pills". Anti-depressents work IF your depression is caused by a brain chem
imbalance---by balancing the brain chemicals.
However, these work best for the usually happy person who, for
seemingly no reason, becomes depressed.
The chronically depressed are more likely to suffer from low self-esteem
and the resulting psychological state of feeling unworthy of life, love
and happiness. This isnt a matter of brain chemical imbalance---hence,
anti-depressants dont work well for them.
Opium and it's derivitives make anyone happy for a few hours---but are
addictive. Not to mention, hard to get.
Same with cocaine.
Same with GHB.
Whatcha got?
PS--to answer the rest of your question...
Im one for whom Prozac works GREAT. It doesnt dull the senses or "make" me feel "good". It just lets me feel
"normal". Great stuff, if it works for you. It feels like lifting the
shade and letting the light in.
I'm bipolar and have taken various meds on/off for the last decade. Most
medications tend to just dull me to the point that I just don't care...or maybe
I do care, but just don't have the energy or motivation for anything. I went off all drugs early this year, shortly after an episode where I was
driving along with my kids in the car with me and they were chattering like
always. I realized that I had been sitting there driving for a good twenty
minutes or so and couldn't tell you a single word that they had been saying to
me, even though I had managed to answer them with the appropriate yes/no.
I took a break from everything (with my doctor's permission) for a while.
We've agreed that since I usually have a major setback in the fall, I will
start medication again before that time.
